The Mac 512

THE Macintosh collector's web site

What milestones this little computer gave the computing industry. Any normal Joe could get the GUI interface with little cost. Well okay maybe the cost was up there at $2,495 (for the original in 1984), but it was well worth it.

Milestones in Macintosh’s life include:

-1984 - original Macintosh introduced with 128K of RAM, Motorola 68000 CPU, 9” 512x342 pixel monitor, 3.5” 400K floppy disk drive. All in a compact “portable” unit at 16.5 pounds (about as portable as you could get back then).

-1985 - Mac 512K introduced. This was the real usable Macintosh. LaserWriter appeared with the utmost quality.

-2008 - MacBook Air - Like it or not this is one of the lightest portable PCs on the market. ($1,799)

The Macintosh Story

Back in 1983 Apple Computer released a video on VHS tape that showcasing Macintosh. This “lost” look at what Macintosh could be. The Mac 512 is pleased to get this out for Macintosh history archival purposes.

Part 1:

Part 2:

My first Macintosh

At first I was actually “anti-Apple” when Macintosh was introduced. Why was I “Anti-Apple”? I hated the high price of the Apple II series of PCs, as I was in high school and could not afford one. I loved the interface of Macintosh and wanted one but there was a greater price. I saved up enough for an Atari 1040ST ($999) in 1985 and soon after David Small invented Magic Sac (Macintosh emulator). I picked up one and make a 768K Fat Mac. WOW. I was blown away again by how much better and more intuitive Macintosh’s interface was compared to the Atari ST (or Amiga, GEM, or even Windows). I immediately sold my Atari 1040ST in 1986 and bought a new Mac Plus.

I was in heaven even with swapping out disks with only 1 floppy disk drive. I could do far more than I could with the Atari ST OS. This Mac Plus saw me through the rest of high school and into college. Using a Macintosh was the best PC experience I ever had. This technically started my Macintosh collecting without me knowing it. Only until after I bought my PowerBook 100 did I think of collecting Macs. My collection is easily in the 45+ range (unique Mac models), and 50+ (including duplicates). Plus 2 Newton Message Pads (100, 2000) 2 NeXTs (Cube and Station), original Airport Base Station, Stylewriters I & II, Laserwriter Plus,Laserwriter IINT, and Mointors (15" Multiple Scan Displays (2 versions), 13" RGB, 15" LCD Panel v.2, AudioVision 14" Display, 12" RGB, ApplcColor RGB).